Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-25
HOW TO CARVE TURKEY.
4 Few Rules That VIII Help Some
Awkward Heads OF the Family
Table To-Day.
fGood Housezeepipg.l

Pit the fork in firmly as far as it will
90 across the middle Of the breast-bone,
and if the whole bird is to be carved do
not remove it until the breast is separated
from the back. Opinions vary as to
which should be removed first, the wing
or the leg but it is safe to follow this
general rule Ii the wing be so long or
the bird be trussed in such a way that
the end of the wing comes close to the
thigh remove the wing first, and then it
will not be in the way when removing
the second joint.
Cut through the flesh on the top OF the
shoulder, work thepoint OF the knife into
the joint and press it outward, and when
the joint separates cut through the flesh
close TO the body but do NOT take any of
the breast with the wing. Then cut
through the skin between Inc thigh or
second Joint and the body. Bend the
leg over with tho knife and the joint will
he disclosed. Cutthrough tile flesh from
above down toward the tail, and II the
Joint does not separate easily turn the
knife and cut from the tail toward the
Joint. Make a clean cut, not a Jagged
one. and leave a generous portion of tine
meat on the side-bone. Then remove
the wing and second joint on the other
side
Shave off the breast in thin slices,
beginning just above the wing and slant
ing slightly from the front of the breast
bone down toward the wing. BE care
full 10 take portion of crisp outside on
the edge of each slice. The knife must
have very keen edge TO enable You to
do this neatly. BY cutting in this slant
ing direction the meat is cut across the
grain instead OF with the gram, as is the
case when the cuts are parallel with the
breast bone.
After the breast is carved cut across
the crisp skin near the neck and below
the breast in order to reach the stuffing.
Insert the point OF the knife at the front
Of the breast-bone, turn back the wish
bone, and separate it. Press the point
of the knife through the cartilage at each
side of the front of the breast bone, sep
arating the collar-bones from the breast.
Tip the body slightly, slip the knife un-
der the end of the shoulder-blade Ut lies
close to the backbone, not quite half
way down from the neck, and turn II
over toward the wing joint. Repeat this
process on the opposite side.
Cut across the thin ribs, or through
the cartilage which divides the ribs on
each side, separating the breast-bone
from the back. Lay the breast-bOne to
one side, and now remove the bone from
it. Take the stufing from the back.
Turn the back over, place the knife mid
way Just below the ribs, and with the
fork lift up the tail end, separating the
back from the upper part OF the
body. Place the fork in the middle of
the back bone, and cutclose to the back
bone from one end to the other on each
side, freeing the side-bone.
1t is not often necessary to cut up the
whole body of the turkey, and even II
/ the meat will be needed, it can be taken
off without disiointing the bones. After
the breast is sliced and the wish-bone
removed (which some child is always
sure to WANT, tip the bird over slightly
and with the point of the knife remove
the oyster lying in the hollow of the
side-bone, and also the small portions OF
the dark meat found on the lower end OF
the side-bone. The pOpe's nose is a
choice bit relished by many.
Then remove the fork and divide the
wings at the joints; if the drum-sticks
were not taken of at first. separate them
from the second joint. Cut off tho meat
from the second joint Of the wing and
also from the thigh, as these, when large,
are more than one person requires, and
it is inconrenient to have so large bones
on ones plate. II no preference be e1-
pressed, help equally to both lighs md
1 dark meat and stufing.